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You consider yourself environmentally conscious. You recycle plastic and aluminum. You take your own bags to the grocery store. You make your own mulch. But do you worry about eco-friendly paints? Do you dispose of your paint properly? If not, it can seep into the groundwater and cause other environmental hazards! When they first appeared on the market, the quality of “green paints” was substandard. However, now they can be comparable to premium conventional paints offering the same color, coverage, durability and longevity options. There has been a lot of talk about low-VOC paints or zero VOC, but what are they really? What Is A VOC? VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) are the chemical ingredients found in paint that can have short and long-term health effects. Government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determine what a VOC is and set the criteria for how many VOCs can exist in a can of paint. The EPA also enforces rules on how much hazardous materials, designated "hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)", or solvents known as "ozone depleting substances (ODSs)", can be used by the manufacturers. Although the definition of what is a VOC varies by country, the U.S. sets the standard at Test 24. Why Paint Is Considered Toxic What prompted this? Unfortunately, as paint dries, it emits “gasses” for weeks, potentially causing a variety of health problems like nausea; dizziness; irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract; heart, lung, or kidney damage; and even cancer. For instance, a 2002 study by the National Cancer Institute found that men and women working in the painting trades had a “significantly increased” risk of cancer. VOCs not only affect indoor air quality, but outdoors as well. According to the California Air Resources Board, more than two-thirds of the 176 million pounds of VOC emissions generated in California come from paints and coatings. And oil-based paints contain more VOCs than water-based paints, making up around 40 – 60% of the paint’s contents. Oil-based paints use VOC as a solvent, whereas water-based paints use water. Paints can also contain toxic fungicides and biocides that can pollute the air. Unfortunately, biocides cannot be totally eliminated because they are used to extend the shelf life of paint and essential to exterior paints. What to look for in green paint The ideal eco-friendly paint is “low VOC”, meaning it meets the minimum EPA requirements which call for no more than 250 grams per liter (gm/l) of VOCs in “low-VOC” latex paints and no more than 380 gm/l for “low-VOC” oil-based paints. The Greenest of the Green Paint that is labeled "low VOC" contains less than 50 grams per liter, while those labeled "zero VOC" or "VOC free" claim to have no measurable VOCs at all. There are premium-grade zero-VOC paints that have VOC-free colorants, are free of vinyl and other plasticizers and include no toxic biocides. You can tell these paints because they have the environmental certification seal on their label. Adventurous enough to make your own zero-VOC paints? Author Annie Berthold-Bond offers paint and stain recipes, as well as recipes for natural pigments and dyes, in her book, Better Basics for the Home. Who Manufactures Eco-Friendly Paints Eco-friendly paints arte not hard to come by. Here are some of the most popular manufacturers: 1. Benjamin Moore 2. DeVine Delicate Wall Paint 3. Ecotrend Collagen 4. Farrow & Ball 5. The Old Fashioned Milk Company 6. Weather Bos 7. Yolo Colorhouse For more information visit : http://www.directoryspace.biz/home-improvement-and-decor
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